


it must be believed to be seen

by georgiehensley



Category: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - All Media Types, Falsettos - Lapine/Finn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, First Meetings, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 15:34:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12535104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgiehensley/pseuds/georgiehensley
Summary: a chance encounter with a stranger in his chocolate factory has willy wonka flashing back to an old life and perhaps falling in love at first (second?) sight.





	it must be believed to be seen

**Author's Note:**

> i genuinely thought this was going to be a serious reincarnation au but quickly realized that it just couldn't be with willy wonka as my main character. still was a fun little thing to write to cope with/get over my post-falsettos sadness.
> 
> also, andrew's character is technically based on another one of his musical characters but it's really just the name, the personality's pretty different.

****willy wonka doesn’t do relationships. how can he, when he has a chocolate factory to run?

though, now he has much more time to himself, as charlie’s a bit older and shaping up to be a perfect new factory owner. willy is quite proud of how far he’s come since that first day they met.

nevertheless, willy resides in his factory, having vowed never to step foot out of it again since that one dreadful day where those horrible privileged rich kids (excluding charlie, of course, who was never really rich or horrible to begin with) nearly destroyed it. he’ll still offer tours, though, more than he ever did before - charlie’s idea, as he thinks anyone should have the opportunity to see the wonders of the wonka chocolate factory since he was so lucky, and willy simply couldn’t argue (especially with those pleading puppy dog eyes that are oh-so difficult to say no to). he never gives the tours, though, he lets charlie do it while he watches from afar.

there’s one day, a day that starts out just like any other, where willy finds himself struggling to remain in the shadows. there’s a man in this group - a man who sticks out like a sore thumb, or better yet, a perfectly manicured, super strong thumb as he’s quite tall and strikingly handsome. more than that, willy feels as though he’s seen this man before, though he swears he’s never met before today. but goodness, does he look familiar...

willy remains in his camouflaged clothes, just trailing behind the crowd, until they reach his indoor edible garden, spreading out to explore, and he finds the perfect opportunity to talk to this oh-so familiar man.

he finds the man sitting in his candy-coated field of grass, glancing down at the flowing river of chocolate.

“hello there!” willy says cheerfully. the man jumps, and for a moment, willy worries that he’ll fall into the river (wouldn’t want that happening...  _again_ ), but then he calms down, straightening himself out, before turning his head. willy’s breath catches at the sight of him, an image suddenly coming to mind of the same man looking much paler, dressed in a hospital gown and robe while lying in a hospital bed, sick,  _dying_. he shakes his head, forcing the image away, wondering where it came from and why he thought of it. the other man has a similar expression of confusion and shock, practically copying willy’s actions as he too shakes his head, blinking several times.

“hi,” the man says, voice soft, timid. “d-do i know you?”

“but of course!” willy says. “i’m willy wonka!” he glances around to make sure no one else heard him say that, realizing he might’ve spoken too loud. he brings his voice down to a whisper, “but don’t tell anyone i’m here.” the man snorts.

“it’s your factory.”

“ah ah. it’s charlie bucket’s factory now.”

“so you’re changing the name? bucket chocolate?”

“well, no, uh, there aren’t any plan to--”

“didn’t think so.”

“you’re a sour man,” willy says with a frown. “how can you be sour in a place like this? the air’s practically filled with sugar! and i would know, i threw a little into the oxygen here.”

“oh, really? you can do that?”

“of course.”

“i’ll believe it when i see it.”

“why so gloomy? is something wrong? is the grass not green enough, the chocolate not sweet enough? oh, are the lights not bright enough? i can go get an oompa loompa to change that right now--”

“no, no, it’s fine. i’ve just been... lonely, is all. a friend of mine encouraged me to come here, said it’d ‘change my life’ or something. not sure how true  _that_  is.”

“well, anything’s possible in my factory.”

“anything?”

“mmhmm.”

“huh,” the man says, before sticking a hand out. “i’m robert.” willy smiles, taking his hand and shaking it.

“pleased to make your acquaintance,” he says, only to duck down and press a kiss to the back of robert’s hand before letting go. the other man blushes, ducking his head.

“what was that for?”

“is that not how people greet each other? i did my research, i watched several movies, and that was featured in almost every one of them--”

“uh, yeah, it’s... one way. just not exactly common, especially for two guys.”

“oh, well, it just felt appropriate.”

“hmm.”

“you’re a very attractive man.”

robert’s eyebrows shoot up, his blush deepening.

“was i not supposed to say that? are people not as open with those sorts of expressions? gosh, i really need to get a handle on this--”

“it’s fine. it’s great, uh, i just, um... it’s been a long time since i heard a compliment like that. from a nice guy, that is. not one who was trying to get into my pants.”

“get... into... your pants?”

robert laughs at willy’s confused expression. “you’re really that clueless, huh?”

willy blinks at him.

“you’re lucky i find it adorable.”

now willy’s the one to blush.

“ _alright, everyone, if you would just meet me over here, we can be on our way!_ ”

“i have to go.” robert says, standing. willy follows.

“oh,” he says, expression falling. “i guess you do.” robert smiles sadly.

“it was nice meeting you.”

“you... too?”

robert smiles again, hesitating for a moment before pressing a quick kiss against willy’s cheek. the shorter man’s breath catches again, and a moment later he finds himself watching as robert walks away to rejoin the group. willy sighs, turning to head back to his hiding place. only, he finds something lying in the grass, right by his foot - a slip of paper, now a tad sticky and stained green, with a ten-digit number written on it.  _robert’s number_ , willy realizes. he never quite used a telephone before, but he’s surely going to learn now! he grins, pocketing the slip of paper before going on his way.


End file.
